Cycling an Aquarium

[dimidragos]

Hello there is 26 days since I start my 125g tank and I just get now a 250 ml bottle of Amonia Solution 35%. Until now I ghost feeding but now I want to try something more precisely. My question is:
How much ammonia I need to ad to the tank to have a 0.5 mg/l concentration???

I try to figure up myself using 0.4 ml per liter of amonia in a small can not in tank. then I test and this is the result : first picture in top in my opinion 1.5

I change to 0.2 ml per liter and I get almost same color chart. Same picture from top to bottom.

With 0,1 ml amonia per liter I get almost o , and I don’t believe that too much the test. See picture my 3 from up to down.

In my opinion 0,1 ml per liter it’s pretty much and shuld be reedable. I use Salifert test

 

[Brew12]

Hello there is 26 days since I start my 125g tank and I just get now a 250 ml bottle of Amonia Solution 35%. Until now I ghost feeding but now I want to try something more precisely. My question is:
How much ammonia I need to ad to the tank to have a 0.5 mg/l concentration???

I try to figure up myself using 0.4 ml per liter of amonia in a small can not in tank. then I test and this is the result : first picture in top in my opinion 1.5

I change to 0.2 ml per liter and I get almost same color chart. Same picture from top to bottom.

With 0,1 ml amonia per liter I get almost o , and I don’t believe that too much the test. See picture my 3 from up to down.

In my opinion 0,1 ml per liter it’s pretty much and shuld be reedable. I use Salifert test

If I ran the numbers correctly and you have 35% solution, it should only take 0.7ml to raise the concentration of your tank to 0.5ppm ammonia.

 

[dimidragos]

If I ran the numbers correctly and you have 35% solution, it should only take 0.7ml to raise the concentration of your tank to 0.5ppm ammonia.

You mean 0.7 ml per 2 gal?

 

[Brew12]

You mean 0.7 ml per 2 gal?

Actually, no. With an estimated water volume of 110g and a 35% ammonia solution, 0.7ml should be enough to increase the entire tank to 0.5ppm.

 

[dimidragos]

If I ran the numbers correctly and you have 35% solution, it should only take 0.7ml to raise the concentration of your tank to 0.5ppm ammonia.

Actually, no. With an estimated water volume of 110g and a 35% ammonia solution, 0.7ml should be enough to increase the entire tank to 0.5ppm.

Thatk you, i was thinking about... I wonder why the Salifert show 0 value when i mix 0,1ml in one liter of water....if i multiply this with my tank capacity means that my test didn't read 50 ml (!!!!) ammonia 35% mixed into my tank....I can't check also how fast the existed bacteria in the tank will reduce ammonia to 0. I few words i can't check if the ammonia cycle is done, i need to guess. I'm sad about it...
Thank's alot for your answer @Brew12

 

[Brew12]

Thatk you, i was thinking about... I wonder why the Salifert show 0 value when i mix 0,1ml in one liter of water....if i multiply this with my tank capacity means that my test didn't read 50 ml (!!!!) ammonia 35% mixed into my tank....I can't check also how fast the existed bacteria in the tank will reduce ammonia to 0. I few words i can't check if the ammonia cycle is done, i need to guess. I'm sad about it...
Thank's alot for your answer @Brew12

I feel the best way to test for a cycle being complete is by reading nitrates. If your nitrates climb when you add an ammonia source, but don't register the ammonia, then you should be good. If you have algae growing, it is very difficult to detect ammonia.

 

[dimidragos]

I feel the best way to test for a cycle being complete is by reading nitrates. If your nitrates climb when you add an ammonia source, but don't register the ammonia, then you should be good. If you have algae growing, it is very difficult to detect ammonia.

Hello. No, I don’t have any algae for the moment. If I add 0.7 ml ammonia now when I should measure the nitrate level?? In few hours or after 12 hours?? Amonia I will not think to check. I get more confused. Thanks again!!

 

[Brew12]

Hello. No, I don’t have any algae for the moment. If I add 0.7 ml ammonia now when I should measure the nitrate level?? In few hours or after 12 hours?? Amonia I will not think to check. I get more confused. Thanks again!!

Test it tomorrow, and test nitrites also. If you have nitrites you will not get an accurate nitrate test.

 

[Rahul1129]

Do we need to change water during cycling?? If so then whats the reason behind it ??

 

[Brew12]

Do we need to change water during cycling?? If so then whats the reason behind it ??

Unless nitrates are over 40 or 50, I see no reason to do a water change. It doesn't hurt anything, but I'm not sure what you gain, either.

 

[Rahul1129]

I m new to this hobby and had put developed ammonia in my tank for about 3 weeks now but in between i had blowed sand a lot of times and it may be possible that dust could have make the way into the water but my skimmer is running all the time and also the wavemaker.so is there any cons in it?? What should be my next step in cycling??

 

[Brew12]

I m new to this hobby and had put developed ammonia in my tank for about 3 weeks now but in between i had blowed sand a lot of times and it may be possible that dust could have make the way into the water but my skimmer is running all the time and also the wavemaker.so is there any cons in it?? What should be my next step in cycling??

Nothing wrong with it at all.

What are your NH3/4, NO3 and NO2 readings?

 

[Rahul1129]

Nothing wrong with it at all.

What are your NH3/4, NO3 and NO2 readings?

Not yet taken i was planing to get the readings after 6 weeks of cycling. Would it be good??

 

[Brew12]

Not yet taken i was planing to get the readings after 6 weeks of cycling. Would it be good??

Honestly, if you have added ammonia to start the cycle it would be very unusual to have the tank not ready for fish in 4 weeks. Have you started seeing any algae growth on the rocks yet?

 

[Rahul1129]

Honestly, if you have added ammonia to start the cycle it would be very unusual to have the tank not ready for fish in 4 weeks. Have you started seeing any algae growth on the rocks yet?

Actually i had added shrimp in tank to generate ammonia. I replaced it every 3 days for 3 weeks . So i m assuming that ammonia would be generated. Even i had put live sand in it and as i think the live bacteria in it would be dead because i added them to rodi water and not to the saltwater so they too have generated ammonia[emoji29]

 

[Brew12]

Actually i had added shrimp in tank to generate ammonia. I replaced it every 3 days for 3 weeks . So i m assuming that ammonia would be generated. Even i had put live sand in it and as i think the live bacteria in it would be dead because i added them to rodi water and not to the saltwater so they too have generated ammonia[emoji29]

Bacteria is much harder to kill than just submerging it in RODI. It might not thrive, but it likely survived just fine.

Do your water tests and we will have a better idea of where you are at.

 

[Rahul1129]

Bacteria is much harder to kill than just submerging it in RODI. It might not thrive, but it likely survived just fine.

Do your water tests and we will have a better idea of where you are at.

Ok thanks for helping me[emoji4]

 

[Rahul1129]

My tank is under cycling and my skimmer is running .do i need to run wave maker and sponge filter

 

[dimidragos]

I always believe that is better to run power heads during the cycle. When i cycle my tank i take off the skimmer sometime but not the power heads. Wait for other people answer also....

 

[Brew12]

My tank is under cycling and my skimmer is running .do i need to run wave maker and sponge filter

I always believe that is better to run power heads during the cycle. When i cycle my tank i take off the skimmer sometime but not the power heads. Wait for other people answer also....

Completely agree with this. You want flow over and through the rock since that is where the nitrifying bacteria will live.